Heated hair straightening brush and heated hair straightening dryer brush

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a heated hair straightening brush (a “heated straightening brush”) as well as a heated hair straightening brush that also dries hair (a “heated straightening dryer brush”). As one non-limiting example, the invention relates to a heated straightening brush and/or a heated straightening dryer brush that has a slightly curved front to the brush head, which is heated, and where the exposed edges on the sides of the brush head, also heated, are curved to help style the hair. As an alternative non-limiting embodiment, the invention relates to a heated straightening brush and/or a heated straightening dryer brush having a curved front and curved sides of the brush head where the density of bristles and tufts on the sides of the brush head is less than the density of the bristles or tufts on the front of the brush head. As a further non-limiting embodiment, the invention relates to a heated straightening brush and/or a heated straightening dryer brush having a curved front and curved sides of the brush head where the brush head is textured and/or coated in whole or in part, including but not limited to having coating in the shape of strips and/or channels at any location on the brush head. The invention also includes, but is not limited to, a heated straightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush having a curved front and curved sides and further having a handle that is detachable from the brush head. The invention further relates to the brush head for a heated hair straightening brush and/or a heated straightening dryer brush where the front and both sides of the brush head are curved and heated and at least a portion of the brush head has a texture or a coating.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention is a non-provisional application claiming benefitfrom a U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/187,305, filed May 11, 2021,as well as U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/187,331 and U.S.Provisional Application No. 63/187,306, both also filed on May 11, 2021.The contents of the three provisional applications are hereinincorporated by reference.

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The present invention relates to a heated hair straightening brush (a“heated straightening brush”) as well as a heated hair straighteningbrush that also dries hair (a “heated straightening dryer brush”). Asone non-limiting example, the invention relates to a heatedstraightening brush and/or a heated straightening dryer brush that has aslightly curved front to the brush head, which is heated, and where theexposed edges on the sides of the brush head, also heated, are curved tohelp style the hair. As an alternative non-limiting embodiment, theinvention relates to a heated straightening brush and/or a heatedstraightening dryer brush having a curved front and curved sides of thebrush head where the density of bristles and tufts on the sides of thebrush head is less than the density of the bristles or tufts on thefront of the brush head. As a further non-limiting embodiment, theinvention relates to a heated straightening brush and/or a heatedstraightening dryer brush having a curved front and curved sides of thebrush head where the brush head is textured and/or coated in whole or inpart, including but not limited to having coating in the shape of stripsand/or channels at any location on the brush head. The invention alsoincludes, but is not limited to, a heated straightening brush and/or theheated straightening dryer brush having a curved front and curved sidesand further having a handle that is detachable from the brush head. Theinvention further relates to the brush head for a heated hairstraightening brush and/or a heated straightening dryer brush where thefront and both sides of the brush head are curved and heated and atleast a portion of the brush head has a texture or a coating.

BACKGROUND

One common feature of the prior art heated straightening brushes andheated straightening dryer brushes is that the side surfaces of thebrush head act only as structure and perform no role in the stylingprocess.

For example, prior art heated straightening brushes and heatedstraightening dryer brushes, typically have a flat profile for the frontsurface of the brush head (the “front of the brush head”), which isheated, and narrow side surfaces of the brush head (the “sides of thebrush head”), which are not heated. When this prior art brush is appliedto hair, there are several disadvantages. First, the user cannoteffectively heat the roots of the hair given that the sides of the brushhead are not heated and because of the flat profile. Second, because ofthe flat profile of the front of the brush head, holding the brush inplace also can lead to undesirable lines in the hair. This occurs whenthe brush is not kept parallel to the hair, but instead portions of thehair contact the flat sides of the brush head in addition to the frontof the brush head. Third, creating waves or flips requires continuousmovement to prevent such creasing to occur, which can be difficult tomaster. A second tool is often needed to create such effects.

Additionally, some prior art heated straightening dryer brushes have thebristles or tufts placed within a cushion, which further limits stylingcoverage and hair smoothing. When the cushion is applied to hair, thepressure from the hair causes the cushion to deflate; hair is pulledinward, disrupting the straightening and smoothing function of heatedstraightening dryer brush.

There is a need for heated straightening brushes and/or heatedstraightening dryer brushes that can apply heat to the root of the hair,eliminate lines during the straightening process, and make it easier tocreate waves or flips using only the heated straightening brushes and/orheated straightening dryer brushes.

SUMMARY

The present invention encompasses embodiments of a heated straighteningbrush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush having curved surfacesthat interact with the hair, including a curved, heated front surface ofthe brush head and curved, heated side surfaces of the brush head.

In the heated straightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryerbrush of the present invention, the brush head consists of two curvedside surfaces connected by the back surface of the brush and the frontsurface of the brush where the majority of the bristles or tufts arelocated. In one non-limiting embodiment, a grip portion is attached tothe top of the brush head of any shape or material that can assist theuser in using the tool. In one example, the grip is designed to remaincooler to the touch than the heated surfaces of the brush head. In onenon-limiting embodiment, the brush head having curved front and backsurfaces is attached to a handle. In some non-limiting embodiments, thehandle of such a brush may be detachable.

In some non-limiting embodiments, the heated straightening brush and/orthe heated straightening dryer brush is powered by an electrical sourceand may be corded or cordless. In other non-limiting embodiments, theheated straightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brushmay be powered by any source of energy, including but not limited to bybattery or by solar energy.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the back of the brush head of the heatedstraightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush may beflat. In other non-limiting embodiments, the back of the brush head maybe curved or have a texture or other contours.

The heated straightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryerbrush will have bristles or tufts on the front of the brush head. In onenon-limiting embodiment, the bristles or tufts may be in a series ofstraight lines; in other non-limiting embodiments, the bristles or tuftsmay be in any pattern or at random. The bristles or tufts of theinvention may be of any height or thickness, and may be made of anymaterial suitable for the styling of hair.

In one embodiment, the heated straightening dryer brush may includevents, including vents through which air may be forced so as to blow drythe hair. In such embodiments, the vents may be oval-shaped, of equalsize, and placed series of straight lines, or the vents may be of anyshape, including but not limited to slotted, circular, and curvedshapes. Vents also may vary in size, shape, or pattern, or be placed atrandom on the brush head.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the heated straightening dryer brush maybe, but is not required to be, coated with any heat conductive material,including but not limited to ceramic or silicone or titanium,tourmaline, copper, or other metals, to reflect heat from the hot air ofthe dryer. In some non-limiting embodiments of the heated straighteningdryer brush, all surfaces of the brush head may be heated, directly orindirectly, from any known heating mechanism other than exposure to thehot air of the dryer. In other non-limiting embodiments, any of thesurfaces of the heated straightening dryer brush, including but notlimited to the exposed curved side surfaces, also could be separatelyheated directly or indirectly from any known heating mechanism otherthan exposure to the hot air of the dryer. In one embodiment of heatedstraightening dryer brush, at least one of the front of the brush heador either side of the brush head are separately heated directly orindirectly by a heating mechanism other than exposure to hot air.

The heated straightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryerbrush may have a brush head of any shape when viewed from the front orthe back of the brush. In one non-limiting example, the heatedstraightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush has arectangular brush head as viewed from the front and the back of thebrush. Other non-limiting embodiments of the shape of the brush head,from the front or back view of heated straightening brush and/or theheated straightening dryer brush may be a square; rhombus;parallelogram; trapezoid; or a polygon having three sides, four sides,five sides, six sides, seven sides, eight sides, or more than eightsides. As further non-limiting embodiments, the shape of the brush headcan be substantially curved, including but not limited to, being in theshape of a circle, oval, oblong, semicircle, crescent, or a paddle-shape(i.e., an ovular shape where one end of the oval is smaller than theother end). In other non-limiting embodiments, the shape of the brushhead further can be in a commonly-known shape such as a star, heart, ordiamond, or it may be in an abstract or unique shape. In an example ofone embodiment, the shape of the brush head can be an oval. In anotherexample of one embodiment, the shape of the brush head can have foursides. As additional non-limiting embodiments, the shape of the brushhead can have between three to eight sides, where, without limitation,each side is the same length, where no side is the same length, or wheretwo or more of the sides are the same length, three or more of the sidesare the same length, four or more of the sides are the same length, fiveor more of the sides are the same length, six or more of the sides arethe same length, seven of the sides are the same length. In furthernon-limiting embodiments, the shape of the brush head may be symmetricalor non-symmetrical in one or more planes.

In one embodiment, the shape of the brush head as viewed from the frontmay be identical to the shape of the brush head as viewed from the backview. In another embodiment, the shape of the brush head from the frontview may be different in shape or dimension than the shape of the brushhead from the back view.

In the present invention, the front of the brush head is curved and thecurvature is then extended into curved sides of the brush head. In onenon-limiting embodiment of the invention, the curved sides of the brushhead of the present invention are wider than the sides of brush heads ofprior art heated straightening brushes and/or the heated straighteningdryer brushes.

In one embodiment, the front of the brush head and the sides of thebrush head are heated. In other non-limiting embodiments, one or more ofthe front of the brush head or sides of the brush head are heated. Insome embodiments, the heated, curved surface of the sides of the brushhead provide a surface for smoothing, volume lift and creating waves orflips. In such embodiments, additional tools to create such features arenot necessary.

In one embodiment, the heated, curved sides of the brush head of theheated straightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brushare completely exposed, having no bristles or texture. In a secondnon-limiting embodiment, the sides of the brush head contain bristles ortufts of any kind or in any pattern so long as the density of thebristles or tufts on the sides of the brush head is less than thedensity of the bristles or tufts on the front of brush head. Thebristles or tufts associated with the present invention are not limitedin material, size, or shape; any bristle or tuft in any configurationmay be used so long as there are no bristles or tufts on the sides ofthe brush head or, alternatively, the density of the bristles or tuftson the sides is less than the density of the bristles or tufts on thefront of brush head.

As non-limiting examples less density of bristles or tufts can beobtained by having fewer bristles or tufts on the sides than on thefront of the brush head, by having finer bristles or tufts on the sidesthan on the front of the brush head, or by having bristles or tufts of adifferent shape, thickness, height, or kind on the sides versus thefront of the brush head. In another embodiment, the sides of the brushhead may contain bristles or tufts so long as the bristles or tufts onthe sides create less friction per inch against hair than the bristlesor tufts on the front of the brush head.

As one non-limiting example, the sides of the brush head may have asingle row of bristles or tufts.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the bristles or tufts of the heatedstraightening brushes and/or the heated straightening dryer brushes,whether on the front of the brush head or on the side of the brush heador at both places, are placed on or through a solid surface. In somenon-limiting embodiments, the bristles or tufts could be placed in rows,patterns, designs, or at random. In some non-limiting embodiments, thearrangement of bristles and tufts may, but are not required to, varybetween the front of the brush head and the sides. As non-limitingexamples of embodiments, the bristles or tufts (a) could be flexible,semi-flexible, firm, rigid, or any combination thereof; (b) could varyin height or be uniform in height; (c) could have a variety of diametersor cross-sections, be fin-shaped, taper, be uniform in diameter, or anycombination thereof; or (d) could be set in waves and/or have a balledge. Multiple types of bristles or tufts may be combined on the sameheated straightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush.The bristles or tufts may be suitable for use only on dry hair, only ondamp hair, only on wet hair, or on either wet or dry hair. The bristlesor tufts may be made of any natural, synthetic, or a combination ofnatural and synthetic material that will withstand the heat generated bythe heated hair straightening brush, including but not limited tosilicone bristles or tufts, silicone-coated bristles or tufts, nylonbristles or tufts, plastic bristles or tufts, metal bristles or tufts,or coated metal bristles or tufts.

Non-limiting embodiments of the heated straightening brush and/or theheated straightening dryer brush also may have texture and/or a coatingon the brush head. As a non-limiting example, the sides, front, and/orback of the brush head may have texture and/or a coating located on allor substantially all of at least one side of the brush head. In anothernon-limiting embodiment, all or substantially all of brush head of theheated straightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brushmay be coated and/or textured. In one embodiment, the front and sides ofthe brush head may have texture and/or a coating in whole or in part. Infurther non-limiting embodiments, the areas of texture and/or coatingmay be in the shape of strips, dots, channels, or other shapes orpatterns or at random on any location of the brush head.

In some non-limiting embodiments, one or both of the sides of the brushhead may be fully or partially covered with texture and/or coating. Inother non-limiting embodiments, the sides of the brush head may havetexture and/or coatings in the shape of strips. In other non-limitingembodiments, one or both of the sides of the brush head may not becoated, may not be textured, or may not be coated or textured.

In other non-limiting embodiments, the coating material may protect thehair from heat and/or promote shine. Such coatings, when present, caninclude, but are not limited to coatings made of silicone. Othernon-limiting examples of coatings may include, but are not limited tosilicone strips, silicone strips with silicone bristles and/or siliconechannels. In certain non-limiting embodiments, heated straighteningbrush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush having a brush headwhere one or both of the sides do not have any bristles or tufts mayhave coating in any pattern or placement. In other non-limitingembodiments, heated straightening brush and/or the heated straighteningdryer brush having a brush head where one or both of the sides are lessdense than the bristles or tufts on the front of the brush head may havea coating in any pattern or placement.

The heated straightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryerbrush may have a brush head of any size. In one embodiment, the brushhead is larger than the handle or handle end. In other non-limitingembodiments, the brush head may be smaller than the handle or handleend, or the same size as handle or handle end. As noted the heatedstraightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush may havea detachable handle.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the curvature associated with the sidesof the brush head should be greater than the curvature associated withthe front of the brush head (i.e., there should be more curvature at thesides of the brush head than at the front of the brush head). In such anembodiment, the radius of curvature for the sides of the brush headwould be less than the radius of curvature for the front of the brushhead. In some non-limiting embodiments, the ratio of the radius of thecurvature for the sides of the brush head to the front of the brush headmay be from about 1:1.1 to about 1:10 or more. In other non-limitingembodiments, the ratio of the radius of curvature of the sides of thebrush head to the front of the brush head may be from about 1:2 to about1:6 or from about 1:2 to about 1:4.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features, nature, and advantages of the present disclosure willbecome more apparent from the detailed description set forth below whentaken in conjunction with the drawings which correspond to the same.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the heated straightening brush and/orthe heated straightening dryer brush from the perspective view of thebrush.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the heated straightening brush and/orthe heated straightening dryer brush from the side view of the brush.

FIG. 3a illustrates an example of the heated straightening brush fromthe front view of the brush.

FIG. 3b illustrates an example of the heated straightening dryer brushfrom the front view of the brush.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of the heated straightening brush and/orthe heated straightening dryer brush having a detachable handle from theback view of the brush.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the heated straightening brush and/orthe heated straightening dryer brush from the top view of the brush.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of the heated straightening brush and/orthe heated straightening dryer brush from the bottom view of the brush.

FIG. 7 provides an example of the curvatures of the front and sides ofthe brush head of the heated straightening brush and/or the heatedstraightening dryer brush and identities the radii of curvature for thesides and front of the brush head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the presentdisclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. The reference numerals used in the detailed description of theembodiment below correspond to the reference numerals used in theaccompanying drawings.

The present invention encompasses embodiments of a heated straighteningbrush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush having curved surfaceswhich interact with the hair, including having at least a curved, heatedfront surface of the brush head and curved, heated side surfaces of thebrush head. FIGS. 1-6 depict exemplary, non-limiting embodiments of theinvention set forth herein. FIG. 7 illustrates curvatures that may beassociated with the front of the brush head and the sides of the brushhead for a heated straightening brush and/or the heated straighteningdryer brush.

FIG. 1 depicts an example of a heated straightening brush and/or theheated straightening dryer brush 100 from a perspective view of thebrush. The brush head consists of two curved sides 10 connected by abrush back 14 and a brush front 12. In FIG. 1, a heated straighteningbrush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush 100 has a grip portion18 that is attached to the top of the brush head. The grip portion,which is optional, may be of any shape or material that can assist theuser in using the tool. In one preferred example, the grip is designedto remain cooler to the touch than the heated surfaces of the brushhead.

In one preferred embodiment, the heated straightening brush and/or theheated straightening dryer brush 100 also has a handle 16 attached tothe brush head with the handle having a handle end 16 b. In onepreferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the brush head may bedetachable from the brush head.

While FIG. 1 depicts a heated straightening brush and/or the heatedstraightening dryer brush 100 that is powered by an electrical source,indicated by the cord 19 attached to the handle end 16 b, otherpreferred embodiments of the heated straightening brush and/or theheated straightening dryer brush 100 may be cordless. The heatedstraightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush 100 maybe powered by any source of energy, including but not limited to bybattery or by solar energy.

A view of the heated straightening brush and/or the heated straighteningdryer brush 100 from the side is shown at FIG. 2. In the examples of theheated straightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush100 of FIGS. 1-6, the brush back 14 is depicted as flat. In otherpreferred embodiments (not shown), the brush back 14 may be curved orhave a texture or other contours.

A view of the front of a heated straightening brush having bristles ortufts 30 as a preferred embodiment is at FIG. 3a . While FIG. 3a depictsbristles or tufts 30 in a series of straight lines, other preferredembodiments may have bristles or tufts in any pattern or at random. Thebristles or tufts of preferred embodiments also may be of any height orthickness, and may be made of any material suitable for the styling ofhair.

A view of the front of a heated straightening dryer brush as a preferredembodiment is at FIG. 3b . In addition to bristles or tufts 30, FIG. 3bincludes vents 32 through which air may be forced so as to blow dry thehair. While FIG. 3b depicts vents 32 that are oval-shaped, of equalsize, and placed series of straight lines, other preferred embodimentsmay have vents that are of any shape, including but not limited toslotted, circular, and curved shapes; vents of varying sizes; and/orvents in any pattern or placed at random.

In one preferred embodiment, the heated straightening dryer brush maybe, but is not required to be, coated with any heat conductive material,including but not limited to ceramic or ceramic or silicone or titanium,tourmaline, copper, or other metals, to reflect heat from the hot air ofthe dryer. All or any of the surfaces of the heated straightening dryerbrush, including but not limited to the exposed curved side surfaces,also could be separately heated, directly or indirectly, from any knownheating mechanism other than exposure to the hot air of the dryer.

A view of one alternative preferred embodiment of the heatedstraightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush 100 isat FIG. 4. The view, from the back, depicts a heated straightening brushand/or the heated straightening dryer brush 100 having a detachablehandle.

The shape of the brush head as viewed from the front or the back of theheated straightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush100 is unlimited. FIGS. 1-6 depict an example of a heated straighteningbrush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush 100 having arectangular brush head as viewed from the front (FIG. 3a /3 b) and theback (FIG. 4). Other preferred embodiments (not shown) of a heatedstraightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush 100 maycomprise a brush where the shape of the brush head from the front orback view may be a square, rhombus, parallelogram, trapezoid,paddle-shaped (i.e., an ovular shape where one end of the oval issmaller than the other end), a circle, or oval, etc. In additionalpreferred embodiments (not shown), the shape of the brush head from thefront or back view may be a polygon having three sides, four sides, fivesides, six sides, seven sides, eight sides, or more than eight sides. Asone preferred embodiment, the shape of the brush head can have foursides. As an additional preferred embodiment (not shown), the shape ofthe brush head can have between three to eight sides, where, withoutlimitation, each side is the same length, where no side is the samelength, or where two or more of the sides are the same length, three ormore of the sides are the same length, four or more of the sides are thesame length, five or more of the sides are the same length, six or moreof the sides are the same length, seven of the sides are the samelength. As a further preferred embodiment (not shown), the shape of thebrush head can be substantially curved, including but not limited to,being in the shape of a circle, oval, oblong, semicircle, crescent, orpaddle-shaped. As one preferred embodiment, the shape of the brush headcan be an oval. In other preferred embodiments (not shown), the shape ofthe brush head further can be in a commonly-known shape such as a star,heart, or diamond, or an abstract or unique shape. In further preferredembodiments, the shape of the brush head may be symmetrical, asindicated in the Figures, or non-symmetrical in one or more planes.

In an alternative preferred embodiment (not shown), the shape of thebrush head when viewed from the front may be different in shape ordimension than the shape of the brush head when viewed from the back.

FIG. 5 depicts the heated straightening brush and/or the heatedstraightening dryer brush 100 from the top view. This view provides across-sectional view of the brush. In preferred embodiments, the front12 of the brush head is curved and the curvature is then extended intothe sides 10 of the brush head curved brush sides. In one preferredembodiment of the invention, the curved sides of the brush head arewider than the sides of brush heads of prior art heated straighteningbrushes and/or the heated straightening dryer brushes, which helpsprovide better root coverage and prevents creasing.

Further, preferably, both the front 12 of the brush head and the sides10 of the brush head are heated. In other preferred embodiments, one ormore of the front 12 or sides 10 of the brush head are heated. Theheated, curved surface of the sides of the brush head provide a surfacefor smoothing, volume lift and creating waves or flips.

In one preferred embodiment, the heated, curved sides of the brush headare completely exposed, having no bristles or texture, as shown in FIGS.1-6. In a second preferred embodiment (not shown), the sides of thebrush head contain bristles or tufts of any kind or in any pattern solong as the density of the bristles or tufts on the sides of the brushhead is less than the density of the bristles or tufts on the front ofthe brush head. The bristles or tufts associated with the presentinvention are not limited in material, size, or shape; any bristle ortuft in any configuration may be used so long as there are no bristlesor tufts on the sides of the brush head or, alternatively, the densityof the bristles or tufts on the sides is less than the density of thebristles or tufts on the front of the brush head.

As non-limiting preferred examples, less density of bristles or tuftscan be obtained by having fewer bristles or tufts on the sides than onthe front of the brush head, by having finer bristles or tufts on thesides than on the front of the brush head, or by having bristles ortufts of a different shape, thickness, height, or kind on the sides ofthe brush head versus the front of the brush head. In anotherembodiment, the sides of the brush head may contain bristles or tufts solong as the bristles or tufts on the sides create less friction per inchagainst hair than the bristles or tufts on the front of the brush head.As one non-limiting preferred example, the sides may have a single rowof bristles or tufts

In preferred embodiments, the bristles or tufts of the heatedstraightening brushes and/or the heated straightening dryer brushes,whether at the front of the brush head or on the side of the brush heador at both places, are placed on or through a solid surface. In somepreferred embodiments, the bristles or tufts could be placed in rows,patterns, designs, or at random. In some preferred embodiments, thearrangement of bristles and tufts may, but are not required to, varybetween the front of the brush head and the sides. As non-limitingexamples of preferred embodiments, the bristles or tufts (a) could beflexible, semi-flexible, firm, rigid, or any combination thereof; (b)could vary in height or be uniform in height; (c) could have a varietyof diameters or cross-sections, be fin-shaped, taper, be uniform indiameter, or any combination thereof; or (d) could be set in wavesand/or have a ball edge. Multiple types of bristles or tufts may becombined on the same heated straightening brush and/or the heatedstraightening dryer brush. In one embodiment, the bristles or tufts maybe suitable for use only on dry hair. In another embodiment, thebristles or tufts may be suitable for use only on damp hair. In anotherembodiment, the bristles or tufts may be suitable for use only on wethair. In other embodiments, the bristles or tufts may be suitable foruse on either wet or dry hair. The bristles or tufts may be made of anynatural, synthetic, or a combination of natural and synthetic materialthat will withstand the heat generated by the heated hair straighteningbrush, including but not limited to silicone bristles or tufts,silicone-coated bristles or tufts, nylon bristles or tufts, plasticbristles or tufts, metal bristles or tufts, or coated metal bristles ortufts.

In some preferred embodiments of the heated straightening brush and/orthe heated straightening dryer brush, the brush head has texture and/ora coating. As preferred examples, the sides, front, and/or back of thebrush head may have texture and/or a coating located on all orsubstantially all of at least one side of the brush head. In anotherpreferred example, all or substantially all of brush head of the heatedstraightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush may becoated and/or textured. In one preferred embodiment, only the front andsides of the brush head may have texture and/or a coating in whole or inpart. In some preferred embodiments, the areas of texture and/or coatingmay be in the shape of strips, dots, channels, or other shapes orpatterns or at random on any surface of the brush head.

In some preferred embodiments, one or both of the sides of the brushhead may be fully or partially covered with texture and/or coating. Inone preferred embodiment, the sides of the brush head may have textureand/or coatings in the shape of strips or channels. In other preferredembodiments, one or both of the sides of the brush head may not becoated, may not be textured, or may not be coated or textured.

In preferred embodiments, the coating material may protect the hair fromheat and/or promote shine. Such coatings, when present, can include, butare not limited to coatings made of silicone. Other preferred examplesof coatings may include, but are not limited to silicone strips,silicone strips with silicone bristles, and/or silicone channels.

In certain preferred embodiments, heated straightening brush and/or theheated straightening dryer brush having a brush head where one or bothof the sides do not have any bristles or tufts may have a coating in anypattern or placement. In other preferred embodiments, heatedstraightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush having abrush head where one or both of the sides are less dense than thebristles or tufts on the front of the brush head may have a coating inany pattern or placement.

FIG. 6 depicts the heated straightening brush and/or the heatedstraightening dryer brush 100 from the bottom view. While FIG. 6 depictsthe heated straightening brush and/or the heated straightening dryerbrush 100 as having a larger brush head than the handle end 16 b, inother preferred embodiments, the brush head may be smaller than thehandle end 16 b or the same size as handle end 16 b.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of the curvatures associated with thefront 12 and sides 10 of the brush head of the heated straighteningbrush and/or the heated straightening dryer brush and identifies theradii of curvature for the sides and front of the brush head. In onepreferred embodiment, the curvature associated with the brush sidesshould be greater than the curvature associated with the brush front(i.e., there should be more curvature at the brush sides than at thebrush front). Curvature may also be expressed in terms of the radius ofthe curves. In FIG. 7, the radius of the curve of the front 12 of thebrush head is indicated by radius R_(l), and the radius of the curve ofthe sides 10 of the brush head is indicated as R_(s). In a preferredembodiment radius R_(s) of the sides of the brush head would be lessthan R_(l) of the front of the brush head. In some preferredembodiments, the ratio of the radius of the curvature for the sides ofthe brush head to the curvature for the front of the brush head may befrom about 1:1.1 to 1:10 or greater. In one set of preferredembodiments, the ratio of the radius of curvature of the sides of thebrush head to the radius of curvature of the front of the brush head maybe from 1:2 to 1:6.

Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been describedin detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutionsand alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, thescope of the present application is not intended to be limited to theparticular configurations of the process, machine, manufacture,composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in thespecification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readilyappreciate from the present disclosure, processes, machines,manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presentlyexisting or later to be developed that perform substantially the samefunction or achieve substantially the same result as the correspondingconfigurations described herein may be utilized according to the presentdisclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to includewithin their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositionsof matter, means, methods, or steps.

What is claimed is:
 1. A heated straightening brush comprising a brushhead having a front surface, two side surfaces, and a back surface,wherein the front surface of the brush head is curved and wherein thetwo side surfaces of the brush head are curved.
 2. The heatedstraightening brush of claim 1, wherein the front surface of the brushhead is heated and wherein both of the side surfaces of the brush headare heated.
 3. The heated straightening brush of claim 1, wherein thefront surface of the brush head has bristles or tufts.
 4. The heatedstraightening brush of claim 3, wherein neither of the side surfaces ofthe brush head have bristles or tufts.
 5. The heated straightening brushof claim 3, wherein at least one of the side surfaces of the brush headhas bristles or tufts, and wherein the overall density of the bristlesor tufts on said at least one side surface is less than the overalldensity of the bristles or tufts on the front surface of the brush head.6. The heated straightening brush of claim 1, wherein at least a portionof one surface of the brush head has a texture and/or a coating.
 7. Theheated straightening brush of claim 6, wherein the texture and/orcoating is in the shape of strips and/or channels.
 8. The heatedstraightening brush of claim 1, wherein the side surfaces of the brushhead have a radius of curvature R_(s) and the front surface of the brushhead has a radius of curvature R_(l), wherein R_(s) is less than R_(l),and wherein the ratio of R_(s) to R_(l) is about 1:1.1 to about 1:10. 9.The heated straightening brush of claim 1, further comprising a dryermechanism, wherein at least one surface of the brush head is heated,directly or indirectly, by a heating mechanism other than exposure ofthe surface to hot air of the dryer mechanism.
 10. A heatedstraightening dryer brush comprising a brush head having a frontsurface, two side surfaces, and a back surface, wherein the frontsurface of the brush head is curved and wherein the two side surfaces ofthe brush head are curved.
 11. The heated straightening dryer brush ofclaim 10, wherein the front surface of the brush head heated and whereinat least one of the side surfaces of the brush head is heated.
 12. Theheated straightening dryer brush of claim 11, wherein the both of theside surfaces of the brush head are heated.
 13. The heated straighteningdryer brush of claim 10, wherein the front surface of the brush head hasbristles or tufts.
 14. The heated straightening dryer brush of claim 13,wherein neither of the side surfaces of the brush head have bristles ortufts.
 15. The heated straightening dryer brush of claim 13, wherein atleast one of the side surfaces of the brush head has bristles or tufts,and wherein the overall density of the bristles or tufts on said atleast one side surface is less than the overall density of the bristlesor tufts on the front surface of the brush head.
 16. The heatedstraightening dryer brush of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of onesurface of the brush head has a texture and/or a coating.
 17. The heatedstraightening dryer brush of claim 16, wherein the texture and/orcoating is in the shape of strips and/or channels.
 18. The heatedstraightening dryer brush of claim 10, wherein the side surfaces of thebrush head have a radius of curvature R_(s) and the front surface of thebrush head has a radius of curvature R_(l), wherein R_(s) is less thanR_(l), and wherein the ratio of R_(s) to R_(l) is about 1:1.1 to about1:10.
 19. The heated straightening dryer brush of claim 10, wherein atleast one surface of the brush head is heated, directly or indirectly,by a heating mechanism other than exposure of the surface to hot air ofthe dryer.
 20. A brush head for use in a heated straightening brush or aheated straightening dryer brush, wherein said brush head comprises afront surface, two side surfaces, and a back surface, wherein the frontsurface of the brush head is curved, wherein the two side surfaces ofthe brush head are curved, wherein the front surface of the brush headhas bristles or tufts, and wherein at least a portion of one surface ofthe brush head has a textured and/or a coating.